


Seduction, Sex, and Sacrifice

by BkWurm1



Series: Chloe/Hawkman Trilogy [1]
Category: Smallville
Genre: F/M, Het
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-18
Updated: 2015-02-18
Packaged: 2018-03-13 15:18:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3386528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BkWurm1/pseuds/BkWurm1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Basic premise: What if someone else figured out that Chloe needed some fun in her life weeks before her doomed date with cursed comic book boy? Sometimes it takes someone on the outside looking in to see just what you need </p><p>Set the day after the events of Absolute Justice (Season 9) Chloe stops by to give Carter Hall (Hawkman) information about the scattered Justice Society and ends up getting more than she bargained for-- but exactly what she needs. </p><p>Originally posted on Live Journal.  This story can still fit within Smallville canon as a missing scene. </p><p> *** Winner of the 2010 Smallville Fandom Awards "Best Other Het Fan Fiction" ***</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

> (Timeline note: Absolute Justice showed that the break up of the JSA happened a long time ago. Based on the clothing people were wearing in the film reel (and that very fact that the clip was played on a film projector) I concluded that the break up of the JSA happened either in the late 70’s or the early to mid 80’s. For the purpose of this story, I chose the early to mid eighties. Don’t worry, this is only important after a double dose of smut. Ah, smut, what would we do without you?)

“These files contain everything: names, pictures, jobs, addresses, phone numbers, dental records, medical his…tories.” Chloe’s breath hitched as Carter Hall’s hand skimmed the length of her bare throat, abruptly ending her litany of information. His fingertips trailed over her skin, following the gold chain of her necklace down to the hanging pendent. He angled it toward the light and smoothed his thumb over the design etched into the medallion. She froze, unable to move. With his knuckles hovering just above the swell of her chest, she was agonizingly aware that every breath she took lifted up her flesh to cradle his hand.

She took a deep breath.

Then another.

She tried not to think about what she was doing as she branded the weight and heat of his hand in her memory. Nothing wrong with breathing. Just a normal, natural, expected…who was she trying to kid? Herself apparently, but then she found her reaction to his touch as astonishing as Carter’s breach of her very personal space. When she stopped a few minutes earlier to hand over the information on the former members of the JSA and their families, he hadn’t seemed too eager to see her.

Around noon, Chloe knocked repeatedly on the door to the brownstone museum where Carter Hall also kept his residence. Courtney, aka Stargirl, had needed to return immediately to her step-father’s home, but she assured Chloe that Carter would be waiting and expecting the report.

Chloe alternated several rounds between the doorbell and her knuckles before Hall, wearing his familiar Hawkman scowl, finally answered. His expression smoothed when he saw her, but other than, “Oh, it’s you,” he said little as he let her in. He took her coat and bag, but didn’t invite her out of the entryway. Chloe thanked him and blinked her eyes, trying to adjust them to the odd lighting. The winter sun streamed in through two narrow slotted windows on either side of the heavy front door, basking the edges of the room in the brilliant midday sun and but leaving the center of the hall plunged in shadow. Carter crossed the bright part of the hallway to reach the closet and Chloe, not for the first time, noted how unchanged he appeared from the old film reel.

The Daily Planet’s files dated the break up of the Justice Society back twenty some years ago, even before her birth and yet Carter Hall with his thick brown hair, deep blue eyes, and not to mention well toned body, still appeared to be in his mid thirties. His abilities, Chloe decided, must have slowed the aging process. Except his eyes, she amended in her thoughts. Perceptive and weary, his eyes were not young.

Of course to hear Oliver tell it, that was only natural since Carter started life hundreds upon hundreds of years ago in the Egyptian deserts, cursed to find and win his true love, only to be parted too soon in cruel death time and time again. Chloe hadn’t previously thought much about reincarnation, but she’d seen too much of the unexplained and impossible to simply dismiss the notion. Since Oliver told the story, she couldn’t stop thinking about the curse that Carter believed followed him into every lifetime.

She felt oddly compelled to do something. The archive footage captured a searing and agonizing rage in Carter’s eyes and every time she closed her eyes, the image replayed. His hurt was palpable and the echo remained carved on his face today. Her own pain, she could usually ignore, but once she recognized his, she couldn’t put it out of her mind. She couldn’t erase the past, she really did understand the danger of that, but Carter believed he was doomed to relive the same cycle of soul killing pain over and over and that was unbearable.

Unearthing answers about an obscure ancient Egyptian curse might take some time but apart from the aberrant dinner like she shared last night with Oliver (her cousin’s ex) and J’onn (her former best friend’s father’s enforcer) she had no social life, so time really wasn’t a problem. She had to start somewhere though, so along with delivering the JSA family information, her plan today had included asking some background questions about the curse, but Carter’s prickly demeanor quickly changed her mind.

The man had walls, built up by more than a hero’s penchant for secrets. She understood walls, had to respect them too. Although their reasons were different: he perpetually mourning his true love, she wrapped in guilt for not loving enough; the shadows in both of them now defined how they lived their lives.

Alone.

Still, when Hall answered the door scowling and wearing a leather jacket, Chloe decided the personal questions would have to wait. She figured the jacket meant he was on his way out. That thought was further borne out when rather than inviting her upstairs to his personal quarters to talk, he only leaned against the fabulously carved banister and waited for her to give him the report.

She took the hint and stuck strictly to business as she began explaining the files, which was why Carter’s unexpected… informality… was as startling as the electric current that flared up from his touch. She was suddenly and acutely aware of the small space between their bodies, as well as deeply conscious of being alone with him in the big empty building.

“Do you know what this is?” He asked, not in the growling voice he used when he donned his wings and armor but in another low compelling tone.

Chloe blinked several times, forcing herself to focus on something besides the large warm male hand between her breasts. She was thankful to be wearing the layered look. The long raspberry red sweater and short yellow shrug she wore over her light blue silk blouse should effectively hide her body’s most obvious reactions even if she couldn’t control them. “Uhm, the necklace, yes. The pendant is the Egyptian symbol for joy and life.”

“That’s partially true. This symbol is called a Menat.” He glanced briefly up to see if she was listening and she had to squash the urge to smooth the heavy frown line between his brows. He narrowed his eyes, weighing and assessing something he saw before he continued the impromptu lecture. “The symbol represents a heavy beaded necklace associated with the goddess Hathor, who was also known as the Great Menat. Hieroglyphs often depict Hathor using the Menat as a means of passing her power. It represents joy and life, but also birth, rebirth, fertility…potency.”

Carter lingered over the last word and her heart skipped a beat. “Hathor?” She squeaked. “Wasn’t she the goddess of, ah,” Chloe bit her lower lip, unable to finish her sentence.

Carter stepped in for her, “Of erotic love, yes.” He looked up briefly, his brash blue eyes capturing her concentration before shifting his glance back to the gold piece he was caressing between the pads of his fingers.

Hall’s intent focus surely was on the piece of metal lying between her cleavage but it felt like he was boldly assessing her curves and his appreciative attention, real or imagined, made her breasts feel heavy, full and tight. She swallowed hard. His gaze shifted up to meet her eyes and once again, her breath caught in the back of her throat. For a moment, just an instant, she was sure she saw a similar flare of heat and awareness in his blue eyes, but in the next, he dropped the charm hanging from her neck and pushed both of his hands into the front pockets of his jeans.

“She was also the goddess of beauty, drinking, music, dancing, children and cheerfulness.” His mouth twitched as he added, “People tend to not remember the rest.”

“I’ll make sure that I don’t forget,” she promised a little breathlessly. His mouth twitched harder and Chloe got a glimpse of what his face would look like smiling. Even the brief glint was enough to send droves of butterflies to her stomach.

Carter Hall was an attractive man while frowning and suspicious, pretty much the only way she’d seen him, but the hint of lightness knocked her hormones into high gear. His closeness suddenly seemed overwhelming. Chloe edged back toward the door, needing the additional space if she was to stay in control of her impulses. A trace of amusement appeared in his eyes and at his subtle mockery, she had to consider if he was trying to intimidate her.

Their first encounter was hard to take stock of, what with Carter tossing Ollie through the window and generally growling at them to stay away. The second time, when they actually met face to face, Chloe wondered if he’d taken an instant dislike. She had considered doing the same after the scathing way he looked her over and pronounced her “secretary.” He’d been standing with the circle of heroes as she walked down the hall and the moment she joined them, he tensed and even shrank back a little before pretty much saying she didn’t belong. J’onn came to her defense; he called her their eyes and ears. Hall continued to watch her with a mixture of fascination or maybe horror as she outlined their options in finding their joint enemy, Icicle. He stayed quiet even when she asked for a computer.

But his lips twitched.

Had she known him better, she would have realized his nod at Courtney to show her their computer was just a set up for the punch line. Like the JSA, their machine also predated her birth.

Later when they regrouped at Watchtower, Carter was still gruff, but Chloe hardly expected anything else after the death of Dr. Fate. A part of her wondered if he blamed her. After all, the team split up to follow her leads. Perhaps he was right. Perhaps if they had stayed together, Kent Nelson would not have died or perhaps Kent’s death was an unavoidable fate no matter what they had done. She tried not to look back.

After Icicle was defeated, Chloe worked with Courtney to trace the remaining JSA family, so she hadn’t seen or spoken with Carter since the attack on Watchtower and had never before seen him in plain street clothes. Out of his armor, they were on more equal footing, but instead of that being a comfort, it made her feel vulnerable. While he was in full hero mode, he was easy to keep filed in a clear category.

Wrangling recalcitrant heroes was her bread and butter. In some ways, dealing with Superheroes was like dealing with children: they needed focus, encouragement, a treat now and then, sometimes a little push…sometimes a big push. Even Hawkman’s attitude reminded her of a cranky toddler lashing out and not wanting to share.

But Carter Hall was not a child.

And Carter Hall, the man, only made her think about grown up things. The kind of things she’d done without for more than a year. The same things she’d spent half her life convincing herself weren’t very important. They seemed extremely important right now.

His closeness drove her to remember how much time she spent alone. His breach of boundaries broke through her delusion that she didn’t long to be touched. His amusement over her nervousness reminded her that she didn’t like backing down from a challenge and so when he answered her step back with a step forward, she ignored the little voice in her head that told her it was time to leave and stood her ground.

His eyes glinted again. Her refusal to flee only emboldened Hall. He stepped closer and almost casually brushed back a stray strand of hair off her forehead, but he didn’t stop there. Instead, he let his fingers sink into her tresses and slide deliciously over her scalp before gliding down the back of her head. A stream of pleasure slid down her spine. His hand rested for a moment against the curve of her neck, letting her absorb a feeling of warmth and possession before he drew it lightly back across her collarbone.

She shivered and everywhere his hand lingered, she still felt tingles. She couldn’t meet his eyes; instead, she stared straight ahead at Carter’s throat, trying to pretend her insides weren’t melting or that her breath wasn’t coming in soft pants. Was this really happening? He repeated the gesture on the other side of her head and when she found her eyelids fluttering shut and only just managed to swallow back a needful whimper, the little voice inside her head grew much louder. It was definitely time to go.

She lifted the thick manila folder in her hands and pressed it against Carter’s chest. “Here, take this.” She tried to convince herself that her voice did not sound shaky. “The data is complete. It should be everything you need.” Her breath still came too heavy. She swallowed hard and bit her lip. Carter looked at her for what seemed like forever before he took the folder into his hands. When he opened it and began leafing through the information, she felt a twinge of emotion that she decided to call relief. Where could acting on this attraction lead anyway? Her subconscious answered immediately

Heart pounding.

Mind blowing.

Pleasure drugging.

Screaming inducing.

Sex.

So, no big deal then, right?

Heat washed over her and she closed her eyes for a moment, trying to get her mind and imagination under control. Carter was still standing too close for comfort, but his attention was elsewhere. The file was very complete. Important milestones, educational strengths, likes, dislikes, hobbies, and even the most confidential medical files. If he looked, he could read about his own very clean medical history, though, she reminded herself, it didn’t matter to her if he was healthy and disease free. Just as she didn’t need to remember her status on birth control, the little white pill taken regimentally every morning even if there hadn’t been a need in well over a year.

Stop it! She barked at her subconscious, but even as she focused on Carter’s intent perusal of the file, a speck of irritation arose. He appeared completely absorbed by what he was reading when not two minutes ago… Pride wouldn’t let her finish the thought. The ease in which she had deflected what she thought was real interest left her wondering if she’d just imagined the shared heat.

Perhaps her hair had merely been windblown?

“This is more than I expected. Thank you.” All posturing gone, in his glance, he offered appreciation and real approval. Now she was in familiar territory. Chloe easily shrugged it off.

“It’s nothing.” She pasted on an empty smile. “Helping heroes is what I do.”

Carter Hall cocked his head, looked at her with his too astute eyes for a minute and then nodded almost imperceptivity, as if he came to a decision. Chloe was confused. What could he have seen in the shrug of her shoulders?

Carter couldn’t know that over the years Clark had bestowed hundreds of similar intimate glances and hearty thanks that never evolved to him or anyone else really seeing her as anything but a talking search engine. Hall couldn’t know that with his thanks, she’d managed to paste on him the same safe label. Chloe figured out years ago not to read anything into gratitude. Never again would she in those moments of appreciation deceive herself that anyone saw her as a whole person.

Yet Carter’s continued scrutiny told her he was seeing something. He kept studying her even as he took the JSA file, slipped it through the railing and set it on a stair tread leaving his attention…and his hands…free.

Chloe moistened her lips. A different kind of appreciation was lighting up his eyes. The safe label wasn’t going to stick.

Carter again casually reached out, this time to brush a piece of lint off the shoulder of her long raspberry colored sweater. Only…she was certain there hadn’t been any lint. She shifted nervously, her basic black heels, chosen to go with her basic black skirt, making soft clicking sounds on the entryway floor. After the “lint” was gone, Hall smoothed his palm down her arm and took her hand. “What about you?” He asked softly while rubbing circles over her skin.

Chloe’s mind sputtered. His thumb skimming over the back of her hand was distracting. She blinked blankly. “What about me?”

“Who helps you?” His dusky voice swept over her as he leaned in closer and Chloe fought to keep from swaying his direction.

She cleared her throat. “Who helps me?” She answered him literally, ignoring the real question. “The team. Depending on what is needed, then that’s who springs into action.”

Carter shook his head. “I’m not talking about the mission. Who helps you get everything you need?”

Chloe frowned. What she needed? She tried very hard not to think about that. “I don’t…”

Carter interrupted. “Yes, you do,” he insisted.

“Fine,” she conceded almost primly, “Everyone needs help sometimes, but for the most part I do my best to see to my own needs.”

The corner of his lips turned up and a mischievous twinkle lit his eyes. “Do you find that very satisfying?”

Chloe cursed her ill chosen choice of words; his implication was not hard to recognize. She snatched her hand away, but instead of blushing, she arched one eyebrow and glanced meaningfully around the closed museum he insisted living in alone and haughtily asked, “Do you?” Her reward was a flash of white teeth and a bark of laughter. Heat shot to the bottom of her stomach.

“Sometimes.” The smile left his lips but lingered in his eyes and as much as she wanted to stay irritated at him she couldn’t hold on to a coherent thought long enough to remember why. “But I also learned long ago it is no crime to see to my physical needs.” His eyes held her glance. “The mind works much better if you maintain the body.”

Her heart began to beat faster. Her lips parted but no words came out. That little voice was silent in her mind. Her brain wasn’t doing the talking anymore. She wanted what he was offering. Carter took her shoulders and began to massage them. He leaned forward and whispered. “So much tension.” His hands moved closer together and his thumbs slipped under the chain of her necklace and caressed the sides of her neck while his fingers made circles at the top of her spine. She shivered and pleasure uncoiled from her muscles. She made no protest when his hands slid beneath the collar of her long red sweater; he pushed it off her shoulders and down her arms until it slipped to the floor.

“Why do you try to hide beneath so many layers?” He asked idly as he proceeded to peel off the short yellow shrug over her silky blue blouse.

Layers? She lived her life in layers. How much to show? How much to hide? Never expose the raw emotions. Keep them hidden. Protect her heart. But this wasn’t about the heart. There was no confusion. She let the shrug drop to the floor.

Her button down, scoop neck blouse had cap sleeves and when Hall ran his hands from her shoulders to her elbows and back again, she delighted in the rough texture of the calluses on his hands as they grazed against her smooth skin. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to her pulse point. The soft abrasion of his beard rubbing against her neck along with the scrape of his hands reminded her that he wasn’t quite tame. He exuded a wild quality that just wasn’t present in today’s modern man. He saw. He took. Theirs was a mutual dance, but she didn’t have any questions as to who was leading. Giving up control exited her senses.

Her eyes closed. Chloe was losing herself in the sensations. She was tired of thinking all the time. She wanted the luxury of feeling again, something she’d avoided by cramming her mind with facts and her days and nights with purpose. Here there was no guilt, no responsibility, no expectations, and no recriminations.

Her hands grasped the front of his jacket, the cool leather soft and giving in her fists. Carter’s arms slid over her back, smoothing and clutching, one arm slipping over her shoulder blades and sliding into her hair and the other angling down across to grip her by the hip. His hold pulled their bodies together. She gasped and trembled at the contact and gasped again as he began nibbling and nipping at the sensitive places below her ear and along her jaw.

His palm left her hip and whispered across her backside, skimming lightly against the skirt hiding her rounded cheeks. The hand buried in her hair tightened and he used his control to angle her head back to give him more access. His beard tickled and abraded the sensitive skin on her throat. His breath spread over her neck in hot puffs while his soft, moist lips pressed and soothed, awakening in her a deeper need.

Languor spread its dreamy feeling to the muscles in her legs and threatened to let her dissolve into a boneless puddle. Carter responded by urging them back until she could lean against the solid presence of the front door. Without the hard wood behind her and the equally hard man in front of her, she didn’t know if she could have kept standing.

He squeezed her waist and then began pulling her blouse out from her skirt. She waited with excitement to find out what he would do next, caught up in the moment, knowing where this was going but every moment still a surprise. When one side of her blouse was untucked, his hand slid under and skated over her bare abdomen, causing her to hiss and her stomach muscles to contract. He chuckled against her neck, still nibbling and exploring. He painted circles around her belly button and then glided away, up over her ribs and skimming back and forth along the underside of the satin cup of her bra.

The hand buried in her hair loosened and his fingers journeyed down, stopping briefly to trace the contours of her lips and then glide over the jut of her chin. His hand kept traveling lower. It floated down her exposed throat, over her pendant and then followed the curved edge of her blouse. In its wake, his teasing touch left goose bumps, shivers, and Chloe anxious for more.

She kept her eyes shut, choosing to let her other senses create the picture. She felt the tug of material at her side and then the weight of Carter’s other dexterous digits slowly climbing up the middle of her pale blue blouse. When he reached the top and undid the final button, the silky material shifted and she felt cool air against her newly uncovered skin. His lips pressed against the inside curve of her breast and she thought she heard him murmur, “Beautiful,” before more kisses rained against the upper swells of her flesh. In the moment, she felt beautiful and completely alive.

At his urging, she let go of the front of his jacket and hardly noticed when he sent her blouse slithering to the ground. She linked her hands around his neck, her head tipped freely to the side, basking in the moment.

Her bra felt tight and confining and she sighed happily when it suddenly loosened. Sparks traveled up and down her spine as Carter rubbed the small of her back. His other hand slid the straps of her bra down her shoulder. She unlinked a hand at a time to allow first one and then the other strap to slip past her fingertips. His hands slid down her sensitive sides to knead her waist. He paused.

Chloe opened her eyes to see him hungrily raking his intense eyes over her firm up turned flesh. His yearning for her was unhidden, tightening the skin over his cheekbones and leaving him swallowing hard. She shuddered as she felt her breasts go taunt under his gaze, her nipples hardening almost painfully. As if waiting for a trigger, he swiftly bent and boldly used his mouth to claim her breast.

A jolt of liquid fire burned all the way to her core as his lips closed around the stiffened peak and tugged. Corresponding bursts of electricity continued to arc deep inside. She wanted to squirm uncontrollably, but didn’t want to move away from the source of so much pleasure. His beard rasped over her smooth skin, leaving it rosy and even more sensitized. He brought up a hand to cup and stroke her unattended breast, skimming high on the side, fiendishly close to a ticklish spot. The rough spots on his palm increased the sensations as he squeezed and kneaded and began rapidly circling her nipple with his thumb.

She was whimpering; to her own ears a high-pitched, needy sound but one that spurred him on. He devoured her breast, suckling deep and loudly. She cried out and clutched at the back of his neck. His hair was crisp and cool between her fingers. His heated mouth switched to her other breast. She inhaled sharply and closed her eyes again as his tongue drew circles around her areola and laved the pebbled nipple.

Her head was roaring; her insides were throbbing. She continued to shift restlessly. Carter used his foot to nudge her stance a little wider and stepped between her legs. Her skirt rode up on his leg and she could feel the heavy ridge of his desire pressed against her hip. The pressure provided by his thigh relieved a little of the sweet ache building between her legs, but she couldn’t get close enough.

He ran his palm around the edge of her skirt until he found the button and pushed it through the loop. He found the narrow zipper next and then he stepped back long enough for the slim skirt to pool around her ankles. He lifted her off her feet for one breathless moment, before he wedged his jean-clad knee firmly at the apex of her legs. Chloe sighed and rubbed against his thigh even as he ground himself against her hip. The contact felt good, not enough, but good.

Carter caught her by the thighs and displaying the increased strength that came with his abilities, easily lifted and urged her to wrap her legs around his waist. She felt the cold press of his belt buckle on her stomach but she didn’t hesitate. He repositioned her a little and then his denim encased hardness rubbed against the thin nylon covering the ache between her legs. The pressure felt wonderful. She linked her arms behind his neck and used the solid wood door behind her as leverage to arch against him harder. He groaned as she did it again and then shifted her higher and leaned forward, his shoulders keeping her pinned against the door. The loss of pressure against her lower body left her aching.

His hands moved between them. She heard the rasp of metal and stiff rustle of fabric. Then she felt his hand at her hip tugging at her panties. The delicate underwear dug into her side before tearing and giving away. He linked his elbows under her knees to spread her legs wide, shifted her lower and then a blunt heat rubbed through her folds over her slickness. Her breath broke as he did it again, wetting his shaft in her desire.

“Now,” he told her as he panted against her neck.

“Now,” she agreed and bit her lower lip to keep from moaning as he pressed directly against her core.

“Yes, I need this,” he growled as the tip of his body began its penetration. She arched her back again, trying to get closer. She needed this as well. His fingers dug into her hips as he slid her body fractionally lower, letting gravity help. He pushed steadily against her tightness, rocking relentlessly forward, robbing her of breath.

Pressure.

Stretching.

Impossible fullness.

She felt too much. He didn’t give her a chance to become accustomed to his encroaching presence before, with a final surge and groan, he completely buried his shaft. She cried out, feeling her insides stretched tightly around his wide rod.

It was sensation overload. Then warm, wet heat tugged at her breast and at the same time Carter shifted a hand between their connected bodies and used two fingers to gently rub the ball of nerves between her legs. He triggered a fresh wash of moisture from her center and with the next flex of his hips, the sense of too much, became a shockwave of pleasure.

A long moan escaped her. She clutched at his neck, burying her face against the side of his head as he rotated his hips and then pulled almost all the way out before slowly pressing all the way in again, the deliberate measure giving her plenty of time to focus on the exquisite drag along her passage. In and out, give and take, the steady push and pull against her flesh became the center of her world. He sped up his tempo and she gasped in time to his strokes.

The scent of leather and spices and musk of man surrounded her. For a moment, her mind detached and pictured the scene with clarity. Her clothes were carelessly scattered everywhere on the entryway floor. She was sweating and naked except for the gold pendant around her neck, the torn underwear hanging from one hip and a single, sensible, black heel still dangling from her toes. Her back was pushed hard against the front door, her knees held wide while an almost fully clothed man she met just over forty-eight hours ago, sucked at her breast and rammed in and out of her body, rattling the door while he f*cked her brains out.

The audacious image and torrent of sensations sent her over the edge. Tension coiled inside and snapped. Her back arched. Her insides convulsed. She cried out as the pulses of gratification overwhelmed her and she sagged limply against Carter.

He surged forward a handful of times before stopping and standing stiffly, his breath still deep and harsh. Thirty seconds went by. The muscles in his body remained tight and tense and she felt the clench of his jaw against the softness of her breast as he withdrew from her clinging body, still fully erect. He reached between them and made some adjustments. Then Carter lifted her into the cradle of his arms, carried her out of the entryway and up the stairs.


	2. Part Two

Breathless and at the same time, too relaxed to pay much attention, at the top of the staircase Chloe vaguely noted a hallway. It took them past several rooms before Carter used his foot to push open a bedroom door. Chloe opened her heavy lids long enough to get a quick picture of the room. While the two windows in the bedroom had heavy curtains drawn across, plenty of light peeked in around the edges for her to see the room favored dark blues and large, heavily carved furniture. A closet and another door, presumably leading to a bathroom, lined the opposite wall from the windows. A tall dresser and a cushioned chair sat at the foot of the largest piece of furniture. The king-sized, sleigh bed took up most of the remaining space in the room. 

Carter lowered her on to the middle of the unmade bed. For some reason its rumpled state sent a thrill up Chloe’s spine. She rolled to her stomach and wrapped her arms around a pillow, rubbing her cheek against the smooth linens. On close inspection, the material showed slight signs of wear, but being washed so many times made the sheets feel silky. 

She felt marvelous, completely loose and limber. She wanted to stretch like a cat and while she would never call being around Carter Hall easy, for some reason she felt completely at ease and so she did exactly as she wanted. She reveled in the moment, enjoying the soft support of the mattress, the glide of the cool material under her scissoring feet, and the scent of Carter: sandalwood, leather and man, clinging to the bed and to her body. Sensations still ruled her world. Lingering dapples of bliss played along her nerve endings. She didn’t want this feeling to go away. 

In the room behind her, she heard Carter kick off his shoes in a set of clumps, followed by the substantial weight of his leather jacket slumping to the floor. His breath: loud, heavy and rough; was background music to the rustle of clothing and exciting metallic rasp of a zipper. She felt the bed dip. He was hovering behind and then leaning down over her. He radiated heat and she arched her back up against his smooth chest, making a humming sound. His solid form felt good and reawakened the hunger so recently satisfied.

He brushed her loose blonde curls aside, kissed the nape of her neck and then snaked an arm under her waist between her and the mattress. His raspy voice commanded, “Get on your knees.” She shivered from the demand in his voice. As she rose to position, his palm splayed wide on her stomach, urging her up. He was everywhere around her. His breath was fast and harsh in her ear. His broad chest and wide shoulders engulfed her body. Her bottom rested snugly against his hot heavy hardness. The crisp hair on his legs tickled the outside of her thighs. He leaned into her, letting her feel some of his weight and reminding her of the strength he held in check. 

He whispered, “Higher,” but pushed her head down gently to adjust the tilt of her hips. He aligned their bodies and slowly, on a drawn out groan, steadily pressed inside her slick channel. As before, her body struggled to adjust to his size, but she had a new craving for the exquisite fullness. The reverse angle let him push deeper and when he drew out and surged back inside, he struck something wonderful that made her tighten around him and dig her hands into the sheets. 

“Aghhhhh!” She called out.

“Ahh, so good,” he moaned and continued to powerfully move, barely holding back his strength. Her elbows slipped on the sheets with every drive of his hips and though she tried to gain purchase by holding bunches of the material in her fists, soon her arms were splayed out in front with her face pressed into the shaking mattress.

Carter paused. He left the one arm around her waist but wrapped his other one diagonally across her torso, lifting her. His bicep flattened her breast and his strong fingers gripped her shoulder. He arched over her, holding her hovering above the bed and began again. His thrusts reached deeper and a keening sound tore out of her throat. The intensity was beyond anything she’d experienced. 

She clutched at his forearm with both hands as he leaned back on his folded legs and took her with him, sitting almost upright. His arms were like steel bands; he held her tight, flush against his slick body as he continued to pump into her. His hand slid from her shoulder, up her neck and firmly cupped the base of her skull. His fingertips brushed the curve of her ear and his thumb rubbed along her jaw. He buried his face in her hair, grunting in hunger. She let go of any illusion of control and embraced his power, loving how his heat enveloped her. 

Every surge of his hips brought new peaks of pleasure. Each scrape and thrust pushed her higher and higher. His pace seemed designed to bring her to the edge and stay there. Her heart pounded, her lungs burned, and sweat slid in rivulets between her breasts. 

She turned her head and nipped at his thumb, doing the only thing she could under his benevolent domination. He growled and bent forward. She felt the scrape of his teeth on the base of her neck. His mouth soothed the sting and then sucked at the mark, pulling a pool of blood close to the surface. She shuddered under his wild rule and reached back to feel the muscles in his back bunching and tightening as he ground himself deep in the tight recesses of her body. Her light touch triggered a change. 

Carter sped up, his rhythm starting to fracture. He carefully grasped her breast, squeezing and kneading. His talented mouth sucked harder against her neck. The hand possessively holding her belly dipped down past the crinkly curls covering her mound. He used the heel of his hand to add pressure against her clit, intensifying every stroke as he pumped his hips faster.

“Ahhhhhhh!” 

She was coming; deep internal waves radiated from her center, her snug passage rhythmically clenched hard around the continued invasion. Carter roared. His arms tightened their hold and his measured lunges faltered. He gave a heavy thrust, pressing and holding himself deep. With another roar, he did it again, the head of his c*ck pushed firmly against her cervix and then Chloe felt impossibly hot liquid spurt against the back of her sheath. Lightning rushed up her spine and prickles of fire buzzed over her skin. She screamed. Carter groaned. She could hardly breathe for the pleasure that keep coming in waves. They slumped forward together, either passing out or falling into exhausted slumber. 

Shortly after, she half awoke to the feel of a warm moist washcloth pressed between her legs to remove the stickiness. Carter seeing to that chore was more excruciatingly intimate than all that came before. Her embarrassment was acute, but he was quickly done and he met her protests with soft murmurs and strong arms. She was still so drowsy, she fell back to sleep. 

She woke sometime later with a pressing need to visit the bathroom. Light still peeked through the curtains so she couldn’t have been asleep for more than a couple hours. She eased out of the large bed, leaving Carter sprawled unconscious on his back, his toned chest and muscled arms exposed. She spared a moment to appreciate the sight before she borrowed his shirt for some semblance at modesty and slipped into the adjoining facilities. When she emerged, she hesitated in the doorway, wondering if this would be a good time to make her exit. She glanced around and realized that except for the ruined pair of underwear she just balled up in the trash, all of her clothing remained scattered about in the downstairs hall. She bit her lip in indecision.

“Come back to bed. It is early yet.” Carter called to her, making the choice easy for her. He wanted her to stay. She could afford to indulge in this luxury a little while longer. The sex had been a revelation, about both her depth of need and her ability to receive pleasure but she found herself craving the closeness that came after as well. 

Carter held the comforter to the side, waiting for her to climb back in bed and she found herself shedding his shirt and sliding in next to him. He reached for her and pulled her up against his side, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and urging her to use his chest as a pillow. She sighed and felt her body relax against his warmth. He ran his other hand through her hair, brushing it back from her face. She turned into his touch languidly.

“You are a sensual creature, aren’t you,” he told her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

“I don’t know, I’ve never really thought about it,” she mumbled against his chest.

“Well, you are. You like silk and satin against your skin. Your sweater was made of the softest cashmere and I’ll never look at my sheets the same way again,” he finished with amused wry tone. 

Chloe stifled a snort. Maybe tomorrow she’d be embarrassed about the way she’d molested his sheets, but not today, what with the haze of endorphins still flooding her senses. He ran his hand down her side, surfing the dips and curves of her body, squeezing her bottom and tracing a pattern on her hip. She exhaled and squirmed a little, sliding her foot over his calf and rubbing her cheek against his smooth skin. 

“You sigh so sweetly when I touch you, letting me know just what you like.”

Chloe couldn’t remember anything about their encounter she hadn’t liked. When a rumble of laughter vibrated through his chest, she was aghast to realize she’d spoken aloud. So much for saving embarrassment for tomorrow. She lifted her head and tried to push away. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

He stroked her hair and urged her to rest her head again. “Why would you apologize for a stroke to the ego like that?” 

She relaxed against him again and tried to explain. “You loved your wife very much and I know that’s a constant in your life whether she is here or not. I wouldn’t want you to think I was reading anything into this or expecting anything out of it.” For her own pride, she needed that to be clear.

His hand stilled for a moment and when it resumed its gentle stroke, he began talking. “I was drawn to Sheira the moment we met. Later I remembered endless lifetimes of love when I looked into her eyes.”

She couldn’t have explained why, but she was pleased he was willing to talk about his past. “Was it always like that? Did you always know your own history, I mean, from other lives?” She was curious about how this past life thing worked.

“I always had a sense I should know something more and there were flashes and pieces in my dreams, but it wasn’t until I became in possession of the Nth Metal that the floodgates of my own history opened up.”

“Nth Metal, what’s that?”

“It’s what gives me my abilities.”

“And Sheira, did she know you too? I mean right away.”

“Did she remember our past lives together?” He shook his head. “No, not right away; but we had an instant connection neither of us could ignore. It’s always like that, even when our reincarnated lives don’t extend to remembering our origin or history, the connection is always there, impossible to ignore. Every lifetime I am blessed to find the one who loves me most and every life time,” his voice went grim, “I am cursed, unable to keep Hath-Set from enacting his retribution.”

Chloe pressed a series of kisses to his chest, trying to give some small comfort for the unimaginable. He seemed to relax under her ministrations. “About the curse,” a scholarly note entered her voice, “do you have any idea about how to end the cycle?” She pulled away and leaned on her elbow so she could look at him while she went on talking. “From the research I’ve been able to pull, there is always seems to be some kind of counterbalance to these things: a spell, a potion, a talisman or maybe a sacrifice of some kind that can halt the circle.”

He frowned, not harshly, but in surprise. “You’ve been doing research on the curse?”

Chloe brushed back her tangled hair. “Well, only in a general, limited manner. I really didn’t have too many details beyond it being a millennia old Egyptian curse. I had hoped to pump you for more information.” Carter’s lips twitched. Chloe blushed and added, “This wasn’t really what I had in mind.”

“Why were you looking into the curse?” He asked curiously. “Why would it matter to you?”

She gave him a weak smile, “Everyone deserves a happy ending. I’d like to hope that even if things aren’t going well now, there could be hope for some future.” She didn’t have to have a degree in psychology to figure out she wasn’t only talking about Carter Hall and his doomed love life. She was a romantic at heart, and even if so far in her life she’d never seen anyone live happily ever after, she kept wishing for the possibility. 

Carter stared at her, frowning, accessing. She pushed a little. “So, any ideas, thoughts?”

He was quiet for a minute and then admitted, “I do know of one possible way.” She waited for him to say more. He let his head fall back against the pillow; his mouth flattening to a grim line, “But I’ve always been too arrogant, too sure about my ability to beat fate this time.” His mouth twisted to the side unhappily. “Or maybe I was just too weak to give up love once I found it.”

“Give her up?” Chloe frowned hard. Have true love in your possession and send it away? To one who was still searching, the act sounded heinous.

Carter nodded. “To break the curse, the cycle must be broken. It’s the same every time. Reborn. Meet. Fall in love. Die at the hands of our enemy.” He shook his head. “For three thousand years I have fought to keep her safe, only for fate to render any endeavor useless.” He pressed a hand to his eyes in frustration. “I can’t control my birth or even if I meet the reborn soul of my love, but after I have found her, every single time I have selfishly chosen to risk her life for our love.”

Chloe poked a finger in his chest. “Are you telling me that she never had a say in it either? Fear should never decide love,” she insisted. “Do you really think she would have been willing to just let you walk away?”

He smiled at her fierceness and rubbed at the abused spot on his chest. “No, you are right; she would never willingly walk away. Unless…” He paused, but his narrowed and unfocused eyes told her his mind was still racing.

“Unless what?” She prompted.

“In many of our lives, I live with no knowledge of my true origin, but in some, like this one, I knew ahead of time that my destined love was waiting for me. I also had read of the curse. I’d dismissed the idea of both until I met Sheira and then I couldn’t imagine letting someone I loved that much go. I realize now, if I’d understood the depths of real love, I would have been able to make that choice. It’s too late for this life, but if I had it to do all over again, I would have walked away before she knew.”

Chloe laid her head back down on his chest, listened to his heartbeat and said nothing as hot tears silently leaked out the corner of her eyes. The solution to the curse was as impossible to bear as the manifestation. But, she reminded herself, some sacrifices were worth the pain. She thought of her decision to leave with Davis. Nothing had been easy in her life since and yet, given the same options, she would do it again. She left, Jimmy died, but Clark lived. The friendship that served to sustain her like a consolation prize was also sacrificed, but Clark would survive, thrive and continue to be to the world what he had meant to her. 

If Carter wanted to change his future, it seemed fate demanded he also give up what to him mattered the most.

Fate. 

During the past two days, Chloe had spent a lot of time thinking about fate. Was it now her fate to be surrounded by data and knowledge rather than friends, family or lovers? Her work was important and as much as the team grumbled about monitored phone calls or copied emails, no one suggested she stop gathering her web of information, only that she needed, in the words of her once closest friend, “to get out more”. 

In her life, she’d always had a small circle of intimate friends and only a slightly larger group of casual acquaintances, though as a reporter, she worked to make contacts everywhere. Then Lex fired her and she left off that habit. Most of her casual acquaintances drifted away after the attack during her wedding, Jimmy’s rocky recovery and their subsequent divorce. After Doomsday struck, those she counted on the most scattered to the winds and so she turned to the only thing she could seek, find, and keep. 

Information. 

She filled her mind with data, statistics and plans so she wouldn’t have to feel the agony of loneliness and until this afternoon, she feared she’d forgotten how to feel anything but a restless desire to avoid dwelling on how she really felt.

She had to believe her sacrifices were worth the future she’d bought for Clark and the world. Deep inside it felt right. Helping Clark always felt right. Maybe, she kidded herself, she was just a sucker for the hero type. Davis the paramedic - a hero everyone looked to when life turned upside down - had gotten under her skin, and of course, ten minutes alone with Carter Hall and her connection to him knocked her off her feet…repeatedly.

Her time with Carter, though, was a balm to her battered soul. No lies. No disillusionment. The rest of her life would remain marked by her greatest sacrifice, but she could survive and even have moments of joy and maybe someday, peace. For showing her that, she was grateful to Carter. He had to know the same applied to him if he took the almost intolerable steps to break the curse.

She sat up, pulling the sheet with her. “The problem as I see it, is that even though you understand love now enough to make the needed sacrifice for the greater good, your future incarnation might not be so wise. If you want to break the curse, you need to leave a message or some kind of instructions to your future self about what must be done and why that is worth any sacrifice. You must be blunt and firm, allowing for no wavering.” She felt herself getting emotional. 

Chloe clenched the sheet in her hands and thought briefly of her own choices. If she’d kept quiet while Clark acted rashly and sent Davis to the phantom zone before they knew there was no way to save him, it would have twisted Clark’s psyche with doubt and guilt and she’d have never forgiven herself. If she’d stayed safely on the sidelines and watched as Doomsday killed Clark, she would have wanted to die. Yes, the pain could be much worse. 

She blinked back tears and shook her head. “Maybe you can’t escape pain, but if you act now, your sacrifice will lead to the greatest of gifts. Seize your chance now before another millennia passes. The regret you’ll feel knowing you could have ended it will make the pain so very much worse.” 

Carter frowned. “When I look at you, I can almost believe you know what you are talking about.” Chloe jerked back, insulted and Hall grasped her hands to keep her from leaving. “Ignore that. I’m sorry. It’s my turn to be astonished at what came out of my mouth. I only meant that you seem too young and fresh to carry around that kind of experience.”

He couldn’t know what she had gone through and she didn’t want to argue. Chloe relaxed and tried to make a joke. “Maybe I’m an old soul.”

He looked up at her thoughtfully, “Maybe.” His seriousness didn’t stay long. He looked instead at what was right in front of his eyes and changed the subject. “You have beautiful breasts.” He tugged on the sheet, pulling out of her hands and out of the way and then slid his hands up to cover her flesh, holding her sensitive curves lightly, cupping them, shaping them and letting the heat from his body seep into hers. After a while, he began massaging them in gently circles. Chloe languidly slid a hand into his hair. 

His long fingers danced over her smooth globes, learning their shape and firmness. Her nipples hardened against his palms and she sighed, feeling a now familiar dreaminess steal through her body. What was it about Carter’s touch that instantly left her melting? She didn’t know, but was happy to take advantage of it at least for today.

He stopped and pulled out the pillows behind her so she was lying flat on the bed and then angled himself closer so he was leaning on his elbows over her. “I adore your pale skin next to the deep pink circles.” He brushed his fingers around her areoles, making them crinkle and draw up. He bent to place a soft kiss on each of her hard peaks before again running his hands over the fullness of her breasts. “The texture of your skin is like cream.” 

When Carter moved closer, Chloe decided turn about was fair play and ran her hands down the sinews in his neck and over his chest. His was so warm. His smooth skin stretched taut over firm muscles. She gently raked his flat brown nipples with her nails as she skimmed by. “You’re not half bad yourself,” she told him playfully and did it again. 

Carter made an appreciative sound but took back control, looming over her and lowering his mouth. He used his tongue to flick at one nipple and then the other. His short beard tickled. He grazed his rough fingertips over the sensitive skin high on the side of her breasts while he licked and sucked and rolled the hard points across his tongue. She could feel blood rushing in to make her curves swell in his hands.

Her breath broke as Carter slowly lowered his mouth so that it engulfed as much of her rounded flesh as possible before pulling upward, sucking gently as he drew back. She quivered and slid her hands more firmly over his neck and along his muscled back. He was hot everywhere and what he was doing felt astonishingly wonderful. 

He kept repeating and alternating between her breasts. She felt her heartbeat pulse hard between her legs. She thought she might come just from the feel of his mouth. He sucked at her flesh again; this time before releasing her nipple he let it glide against his teeth. Her hips bucked and she clutched at his arms and panted. Carter looked up from his ministrations and grinned. “Did I mention how glad I am you stopped by today?”

Her heart skipped a beat in the mad dance it was doing. His smile was too beautiful. She could allow his touch to make her heart gallop, but she needed to make sure she came out of this encounter whole. She answered lightly. “Just think of the kind of fun you’d be having if I’d had the files dropped off by Green Arrow.” She wagged her eyebrows suggestively.

“Bite your tongue,” he growled and her bright laughter bounced off the bedroom walls. His scowl faded and he cupped the side of her face, trailing his fingers along her jaw line. Chloe turned her head into his touch and instantly felt his whole body go tense. 

She looked up to see Carter staring at her face, his eyebrows drawn together. He gently grasped her jaw and ran his thumb in a familiar three-point pattern. “What?” She asked.

“A pyramid. Your cheek…you have a pyramid on your cheek.” An odd note had entered his voice. He shook his head. “I didn’t…I didn’t notice it before.”

“I guess that means all my make up must have somehow rubbed off.” She smirked but Carter didn’t respond to her lightness. He continued starring at her, the lines between his eyes deepening. She bit her lip and lifted her hands to cover her moles. “I must look a complete mess.”

He gently forced her hand to move. “No, not at all. You are the most inviting thing I’ve seen in…,” his mouth flattened and his hold on her hand tightened. “How old are you?”

Chloe rolled her eyes, “A little late to start worrying about robbing the cradle. Don’t you think?”

He shook his head at her evasion and repeated the question. “How old are you?”

She pursed her lips. “You do know a lady is never supposed to tell?” His stare bored into her and she shrugged. “Twenty-three, this last October. Satisfied?”

He blinked, “Just over twenty-three years.” A heavy frown pulled at his mouth and etched deep grooves in his forehead. “The JSA was falling apart twenty-four years ago,” he told her. She looked into his eyes and recognized the same echo of pain and rage that she’d seen in the Daily Planet archived film reel. She’d taken that pain away for a little while. She wanted to do it again.

Chloe brushed her fingers against his cheek and softly asked, “Does that need to touch this moment right now? Does my age really change anything between us?” 

He didn’t answer right away, dropping his attention to the pendant lying between her breasts. He reached for it again, frowning at it as if it could give him answers. For a long minute, he rubbed the gold medallion. Finnally he shook his head. “No, nothing’s changed.” 

Carter released her necklace. He lifted himself up, nudged her knees apart, and settled his body against the length of hers; molding his hot muscled skin against her firm softness even as he still leaned the bulk of his weight on his elbows. Between her legs, Chloe felt the burning length of him growing harder, nudging against her stomach. Her insides clenched and she felt a wash of readying wetness. 

Chloe slid her arms around his neck and ran her fingers through the back of his hair. He cupped her head in his hands and leaned forward to brush a delicate kiss on her cheek before he pulling back a few inches and lowering his gaze to her full lips. Her mind skidded to a stop as it occurred to her that despite having been unabashedly carnal with this man, she’d never kissed him. 

He continued to watch her with his impossibly blue eyes, intently searching her face for something. Her pulse raced faster. He brushed an errant strand of her gold hair back and lowered his mouth until it was mere millimeters from her tingling lips. Her eyes fluttered closed, waiting, wanting. The warmth of his breath mingled with hers as he touched his lips to hers in the lightest of caresses and then returned for a second taste. 

Her heart squeezed sweetly at the gentle contact. He suckled and nibbled on the corner of her lower lip and when a sigh of pleasure escaped her, he accepted her invitation and delicately explored the sensitive ridges of her mouth, his tongue brushing against hers perfectly, no hesitation, no fumbling to learn what she liked. He just knew exactly what to do. 

For a moment, their connection was too deeply shared to make sense; hovering too close to a feeling she had no business thinking about. He deepened the kiss, seeking and plundering. The increased sensuousness sparked her imagination and suddenly a series of strange images inundated her mind, this kiss, again and again, stretching back endlessly. She tried to concentrate and make sense of what was happening to her. 

Carter shifted again on the mattress and abruptly Chloe stopped thinking -- could only focus on the feel of him pushing his c*ck past her body’s initial resistance. She panted and urged him to sink down, curling her legs around his calves, needing to feel at her stretched core the un-confusing message delivered by his stiff, unyielding heat. He lowered more of his weight onto her body, pressing her against the mattress and burying his shaft in her wet channel. Her body clenched around his possession. Chloe gasped and grasped handfuls of his hair. 

“Yes, you like it deep,” he murmured and then groaned when she clenched around him again. “So damm tight.” He slanted his mouth against hers and between kisses, began rocking gently, staying seated firmly in her luscious heat and pushing fractionally deeper, every slide rubbing against her mound making her whimper. He glided his hand to a sensitive spot behind her knee, one Chloe never knew to tell Jimmy about, and then moved upward, stroking gently along the crease where the back of her leg met her bottom. She hissed against the licks of lightning as he kept running his raspy fingertips over the tender juncture. 

“Gets you so wet,” his gruff voice narrated. She tightened around him. He read her body expertly, as if he’d studied exactly what would bring her most pleasure. He dipped from the sweet spot behind her knee, glided back up until he was grazing the underside of her thigh again, always rocking. Before she knew it, she was crying out and spasming. “That’s it,” he urged. He deepened their kiss and continued to undulate against her, lengthening and strengthening her inner contractions. She wrested her mouth from his and threw her head back to pant and gasp for air as sweet fire burned in every cell. 

He feasted at the long column of her exposed neck, working his way back to her parted lips. He drew her back to him with long drugging kisses until she was again clinging, her hands sliding up and down his back, trying to hold on as he continued to move with her. She turned her head away, “It’s too much,” she gasped. 

He dropped feathering kisses against her temples. “We’re not done yet. We did slow and deep.” His hands ghosted down her sides until he could urge her to wrap her legs around his waist, “Let’s try hard and deep.” He flexed his hips and drove to the hilt. She dug her nails into his back and stifled a scream. He went still. “Chloe are you…,”

“Don’t stop,” she twisted her hips. “Aghh, please don’t’ stop,” she pleaded. He obeyed with two quick, hard lunges and she cried out his name. He swooped in to capture her cries for him and delivered a series of intense thrusts, the sound of their bodies slapping together almost loud enough to drowned out the beating of her heart. “Ooh, oh, I can’t believe I’m…aghhh!” Her back arched up and her whole body stiffened beneath him, jerking and bucking. 

He paused and soothingly stroked her sides, then slid his hands through her tresses, pressing kisses to her eyes and cheeks and jaw. He held her shoulders and ran his palms down her arms and then up and down her spine. She was still shivering at his touch, when he stopped his calming caresses. Her eyes fluttered open to find him watching her, his neck flushed red, his chest heaving, face contorted almost as if in pain. 

Carter waited until his eyes held hers and then grunted one word. “Again.” 

She shook her head side to side, “I don’t know if I can,” she said shuddering and trembling, feeling the left over tremors still cascading up and down in waves. 

His mouth curled up on one side, a cross between a snarl and a grin. He made a scoffing sound, held her calves, bent her knees up and pushed her legs back flat against the mattress. She wasn’t a gymnast, only by means of the adrenaline coursing in her blood were the muscles in her legs warmed and relaxed enough so she physically was capable of offering herself up to him so blatantly. 

He leaned his weight on her, using his heavy, muscled thighs to hold her quivering ones spread completely open. He gripped her by the hips, dug his fingers into the softness of her cheeks and ground hard against her pelvis, coupling their bodies by primal command, pulling away and slamming home, the sex act at its most basic and somehow, most consuming. 

“Guh aahh!” Chloe wailed, dragging air into her lungs only to hiss it out in a stuttering stream as he hammered her clinging cavity. He was touching places never before reached. Her mind slid away. She saw a swirl of colors, a flash of a brilliant diamond sky, heard an ancient tongue whisper in longing “Inty, ana, ihna. Imbarah, el-naharda, borkra. Kull!” 

Then there was only pounding, searing heat, a redoubling of pleasure and certainty of the spectacular. She couldn’t process the sensations fast enough. Carter’s sweat mingled with hers, combining to create their own musky perfume and a heady pheromone cocktail. She inhaled his scent. Her scent. She filled her lungs with them. 

Every moment was elemental. She responded by base instinct. Chloe clawed at his back, losing track of time as she sank her teeth into his lips, his neck and demanded more, more, more, everything he could give...so little time. Feral and alive, she gave as much as she took, arching up to meet his pistoning thrusts, clamping down, writhing in his arms, sobbing. 

Carter’s low guttural groans vibrated against her chest as everything began tightening, spiraling towards her center, drawing every feeling taut. Motes of sparkling fire danced at her nerve endings, bursting and cascading as she rose with him toward the pinnacle, his throaty cries harmonizing with her wails. For a moment she froze, arching up off the bed as the wound up power recoiled and threw her against a wall of euphoria. She shrieked again and again, clinging desperately to Carter. Vibrating with tension, he snarled “F*ck,” hoarsely in her ear, wrapped his arms around her and jetted sticky, hot streams from his pulsating body, transmuting her flesh into a million fragments of light and wonder. 

She crashed into oblivion. 

********

 

Chloe woke from the bright glow of the leaded glass, reading lamp sitting next to the easy chair at the foot of the bed. Her stomach rumbled and she wondered if her growling stomach was instead the reason she was awake. The hunger she’d satisfied today hadn’t involved food, but she shied away from that train of thought. She wasn’t ready to analyze the clawing need Carter elicited out of her that last time. A year was a long time after all and deep down she’d always known Jimmy hadn’t reached her passionate potential. That never mattered of course.

Chloe gave herself a mental shake and turned her attention outward. She realized right away she was alone in the room and from a feeling of deep stillness hanging in the air, she suspected she was alone in the building as well.

She sat up and glanced around. Where sunlight had peeked between the windows and the shades, there was only darkness. Night came quickly in the winter so it could be anytime between six pm and six am. She needed to find a clock and more importantly her clothes and… Her thoughts trailed off as she recognized the raspberry red of her sweater folded neatly on the chair. A second look revealed all of her belongings: her clothing in an orderly stack, her purse placed right beside and her long winter coat draped over the foot of the bed. 

Pulling the sheet with her, Chloe scooted out of bed, intent on grabbing her phone and checking the time. Her thigh muscles protested as she stood. That’s what you get when you are…out of shape. She was a little sore, her lips were swollen and she was very aware of a heightened sensitivity on her face, neck and breasts, a result of abrasion from Carter’s beard but the aches and pulls were welcome proof she wasn’t dreaming. The rest of her still felt loose and warm, like after a solid work out. It had been that all right, but honestly, so much more. 

She was reaching for the phone tucked in the front pocket of her bag when she saw the folded sheet of paper resting on top of her sweater. She opened the note and held it under the lamp to read.

 

Chloe,

Please forgive me for not being there when you wake. I know of a way to insure that the cycle of tragedy is broken, but it may be the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life and if I don’t do it now, I will not have the strength to follow through. It is only by the power of your conviction that a great sacrifice can lead to the greatest good that I can take this step. Know in your heart that you are the reason my love will have a chance to live forever more. 

You are beautiful, passionate, brilliant, brave, and more alluring than you could possibly know. I will never forget you or our too brief time together. 

Carter

Tears swam in Chloe’s eyes, not because their brief intimacy was already over, she’d known from the first touch that this was something out of time, a stolen moment, but her emotions threatened to overflow because she just expected to be the only one deeply touched by their encounter. She couldn’t guess what Carter was about to do, but she understood from personal experience putting off something hard only extended the torture. 

Her heart ached for the immediate pain Carter’s actions would bring him, but some of her grief eased knowing she’d had a hand in bringing about the end of a horrid curse. She didn’t know if she would ever experience it herself, but she believed in true love. Any kind of temporary pain or sacrifice was worth that great of a reward.

She reached over and pulled out her phone. She hit a button to knock it out of standby and checked the time. It was close to midnight. 

Twelve hours.

Half a day was as long a break as she could afford to take, but she didn’t regret a single minute. Her time with Carter hadn’t fundamentally changed who she was, no, it did something better, it reminded her she was still the same person, with needs and wants and flaws. Her mind was clear; she recognized her strengths, and acknowledged that some measure of grief and guilt would always be a part of her, but she would no longer let those emotions have the power to consume everything in her life. 

She deserved to take happiness when she found it and she would. Life wasn’t easy. Dangers from all sorts of sources still threatened, but she was ready to face whatever came her way. The future was open. Nothing was impossible.

Epilogue 

Hawkman hovered silently over the city and watched to make certain Chloe Sullivan, aka The Watchtower, made it safely to her car. As he looked on, he ruthlessly ignored the growing ache in his heart, just as he’d done when he left her sleeping in his bed and just as he would do for the rest of this existence. 

He was letting her walk out of his life. To break the curse and someday keep her safe at his side, he now had to let her go. Their paths might still cross again, but in this life, the most they could share was the good fight. 

In this life, she was a different kind of warrior. Instead of a mallet or a mace, she wielded the insatiable curiosity of her mind. Instead of wings, she soared on hope. Her heart with its power to persevere was the source of her greatest strength. Carter never dreamt he would find Shiera twice in the same lifetime and never would he have ever imagined he’d be strong enough to let her go. On his own, he couldn’t have done it, but on some unconscious level, Chloe knew what they needed to do and made certain he knew as well.

He watched as Chloe held up her key fob. He heard a faint beep and saw the lights of her car flash. A minute later, she merged with traffic and he lost track of her headlights. He closed his eyes and renewed his vow.

He would not fail her instinctive faith. Their sacrifice would be worth the pain. The ancient curse would be broken and one day soon, their eternal love would live again.

 

Fini

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Egyptian Arabic Translation: “Inty, ana, ihna. Imbarah, el-naharda, borkra. Kull!” You, me, us. Yesterday, today, tomorrow. Everything!


End file.
